First Spatchcock Chicken

lbbf

Put it on the Egg for an hour at 390. Just the temp the egg wanted to be tonight. Took it off when the breast temp showed 165. The breast was a little dry and the thighs needed a minute in the microwave to be finished. I need to work on my cutting up whole chickens but the flavor was amazing. Any advice on getting both parts of the chicken done at the same time?

RedSkip

That looks great, nice color in that skin!

JohnnyTarheel

Nice looking bird... make sure the legs were pointing towards the hinge

Dobie

Pull at 155 on the breast, rest 5 minutes.
What was the thigh temp?

Killit_and_Grillit

JohnnyTarheel said:

Nice looking bird... make sure the legs were pointing towards the hinge

This. 

And toss those thighs back on the Egg. They have no business in the microwave!!!

skin looks great. 

Mickey

put the chicken/turkey with the legs pointing to the back of the egg works for me. 

YukonRon

Love spatch chicken.

MrCookingNurse

Hard to imagine that wasn't a home run. Looks outstanding. 

What do you mean thighs weren't done? And I'd pulled my breast at 150-155. I pull boneless skinless breast in the 145's. 

lbbf

I didn't take a temp on the thighs. The breast were pulled at 165 and left to rest 5 min or so. That was all the wife would let me leave it alone. The juice near the thigh bone was still a little bloody. I did put the thighs back by the hinge and cooked direct.

nolaegghead

That bloody color by the bones isn't a sign it's undercooked.

pgprescott

lbbf said:

I didn't take a temp on the thighs. The breast were pulled at 165 and left to rest 5 min or so. That was all the wife would let me leave it alone. The juice near the thigh bone was still a little bloody. I did put the thighs back by the hinge and cooked direct.

It's not blood. This is a common mistake especially on chicken. I get it though. Hard to overcome years of indoctrination. Today's chickens commonly have what appears to be bloody meat and bones in them that are perfectly safe. 

nolaegghead

http://www.hi-tm.com/Documents/Bloody-chik.html

The color is from the seepage of bone marrow through immature chicken bones.  If you try to cook that out, you'll end up overcooking.

pgprescott

http://www.hi-tm.com/Documents/Bloody-chik.html  

lbbf

THANKS to everyone here. You are awesome. Looks like I need a instant read thermometer. Looking forward to doing chicken again. The wife loved it and she isn't a big bbq fan.

pgprescott

nolaegghead said:

http://www.hi-tm.com/Documents/Bloody-chik.html

The color is from the seepage of bone marrow through immature chicken bones.  If you try to cook that out, you'll end up overcooking.

Beat me to it. 

Dobie

We're here to help, spatchcock is something the egg excels at. Get that thermo, it's a game changer. 

NewbeeMinimax

Awesome looking chicken. Skin looks crispy. Was it high up in the dome?

lbbf

I put oak lump up to the top holes, then put the rack at the normal place. So no it was not high in the dome. The skin wasn't exactly crispy but not bad either.

lbbf

Second attempt at chicken was made last night. Cooked it at a little lower temp, 340. Took right at an hour. Pulled it off the egg when the breast was 160. Let it rest for 10min. Wife said it was the best chicken she has ever had. Thanks to all who chimed in above with the help and suggestions.

WoodlandsEd

Hey, fellow Eggheads,

Relative newbie here, so pardon the ignorance, but for spatchcock chicken, do you place chicken directly on grill, or use pan, foil, etc.  I believe it is direct cooked, but would welcome confirmation.  I did not find a SC recipe in BGE Cookbook, but the recipe for Beer Basted Chicken calls for the upright roaster to be in a drip pan.  So just looking for clarification on the right  spatch approach.  Also, best temp for spatch?

Many thanks!

Dobie

WoodlandsEd said:

Hey, fellow Eggheads,

Relative newbie here, so pardon the ignorance, but for spatchcock chicken, do you place chicken directly on grill, or use pan, foil, etc.  I believe it is direct cooked, but would welcome confirmation.  I did not find a SC recipe in BGE Cookbook, but the recipe for Beer Basted Chicken calls for the upright roaster to be in a drip pan.  So just looking for clarification on the right  spatch approach.  Also, best temp for spatch?

Many thanks!

Super easy cook, more than one way to do it. I cook indirect at the feltline around 400-450 degrees dome temp. Pull when breast reads 155. Prep is just cutting the backbone out, removing the wing tips and flattening out. Add your favorite rub or seasoning and cook without flipping until done. I put the legs to the rear of the grid, it's a little hotter back there. Rest 5 minutes and enjoy. 

lbbf

Here is how I do mine:

Rub:

1T Kosher salt

1/2 T garlic powder

1/2T onion powder

1/2 t thyme

1/2 t rubbed sage

1/2 t paprika

1/2 t black pepper

1/4 t dried basil

Remove Back bone, rinse chicken and pat dry. Place about 1/2 T olive oil on a plate and add 1 t of the rub. Loosen skin around breast and use your fingers to rub the oil spice mixture under the skin. Rub some olive oil on the skin and sprinkle the remainder of the rub on the chicken.

Place on a direct cook on a 350 to 375 grill. Place the chicken directly on the grate with the legs pointing toward the hinge skin side up. Cook until the breast is 160. Let rest 10 min before cutting up and serving.

lousubcap

Here's a link to spatch chix:  http://www.nakedwhiz.com/spatch.htm  Give the remainder of the site a look-great primer on kamado cooking.

WoodlandsEd

Thank you, all for the guidance.  Did mine last night, but I think my dome thermos is whacked.  Still came out nice, but not a constant temp cook.  I appreciate the help.  

lbbf

I got this dual probe thermometer and it have been awesome so far.

https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-Wireless-Digital-Kitchen-Thermometer/dp/B014DAVHSQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485914421&sr=8-1&keywords=ThermoPro+TP08

SamFerrise

In my opinion your temp is too high.  350 is plenty,  especially if you are using birds over 4lbs. Take them off at 160 and foil wrap for at least 10 minutes.  Juice will be there 

NewbeeMinimax

@SamFerrise--Do you have cream cheese under the chicken? I have never done SC in cast iron yet. If it is in CI pan can't it be placed on direct.
Thanks